Sensors, electronics, and wire connectors used in automotive applications are commonly housed in protective enclosures to protect such components from debris, fluids, and extreme temperatures present in automotive environments. A sensor may be connected to one or more insulated conductor wires or jacketed cable, which extend a desired length beyond a protective enclosure for connection to other components. The sensor and at least a portion of the extending wires may be encapsulated in epoxy or thermoset to seal and protect the wires. However, use of an epoxy or thermoset does not allow for an efficient way to locate and position the wires or jacketed cable in a desired manner during encapsulation. This may result in wires not being properly positioned once the thermoset or epoxy sets, which may lead to damage or premature failure.
The sensor and at least a portion of the wires extending therefrom may alternatively be enclosed in an overmold, which may protect the sensor and associated electronic components and allow for a generally more reliable positioning of the wires relative to the sensor and associated electronic components. The connecting wires may extend out of the overmold for connection to other automotive components. However, when the wires are not securely held in a desired position at an end of the overmold, during the molding operation one or more of the wires may shift and become caught in the mold enclosure during the operation. Thus, when the mold is closed, a portion of the wires extending out of the overmold may be crimped and insulation on the wires or jacketed cable may be damaged, potentially resulting in an electrical leak path or fluid leak path and rendering some or all of the overmolded components useless.
Additionally, if the extending wires cannot be reliably held in a desired position and orientation during overmolding, the number of possible configurations and arrangements of the extending wires is severely limited. This may result in design constraints that increase manufacturing cost and time.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements may be useful.